In 1903, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir embarked on a three-day camping trip to the Yosemite Valley. At the time, many Americans viewed the country’s untamed wilderness areas as seething, dangerous realms that should be tapped for their rich economic resources. This path might have tamed these special places out of existence.

But Muir was on a mission. It was a crusade to protect the nation's wild places for everyone – forever. Muir's poetic words stirred the emotions of the masses. "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike."

The trip renewed Roosevelt's passion as an outdoorsman and devoted conservationist. He returned to the White House determined to argue that America's wild assets must belong to the public and must be staunchly preserved by the laws of the land.

Audiences will relive this camping trip when "National Parks Adventure 3D" opens at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater this Friday, February 12. This new giant screen film takes audiences on the ultimate off-trail adventure into the nation's awe-inspiring and untamed wilderness. "National Parks Adventure captures the stunning beauty of our wild places and reminds us these landscapes are an essential part of the human spirit," said the film's narrator and Academy Award-winner Robert Redford.

Moviegoers will soar over red rock canyons, hurtle down steep mountain peaks and explore other-worldly realms found within America’s most legendary wilderness areas, making this a must-see movie for audiences in Chattanooga – a city that’s filled with people who are passionate about outdoor adventure sports.

Filmed in more than 30 national parks across the country, this immersive film takes full advantage of the new IMAX with Laser upgrades recently installed at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater. The bright, bold and colorful images make audiences feel as though they are joining world-class mountaineer Conrad Anker, adventure photographer Max Lowe and artist Rachel Pohl as they hike, climb and explore their way across America’s spectacularly wild and beautiful places, including Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, Yosemite and Arches.

In addition to climbing, hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing, the film also gets audiences up close to iconic animals like grizzly bears, American alligators and prairie dogs. The filmmakers spent a great deal of time meticulously capturing the soundscape as well as the sweeping vistas, adding to the sensations of taking a walk on the wild side with the featured explorers and inspiring a deeper appreciation for conservation.

"National parks have helped inspire a conservation ethic in our country. They're home to incredible biodiversity, and are an easy place for people to begin a relationship with nature," said Dr. Anna George, director of the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute. "We're partnering with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to better understand and restore Southern Appalachian Brook Trout within the park and in adjacent areas. We hope more people will learn about their connection to field conservation programs like this after seeing National Parks Adventure."

As the National Park Service looks ahead to the next century of protecting U.S. treasures, it will pursue new directions in education, preservation and sustainability as well as seek new ways to connect the parks to communities throughout the nation and the world. "As a trustee of both the Tennessee Aquarium and National Park Conservation Association, I am proud to support the film's run in Chattanooga," said Greg A. Vital, president and CEO of Morning Pointe Senior Living. "It's important to shine a spotlight on our national parks, bring back fond memories for so many who have enjoyed them over the years, and inspire the next generation to visit and protect them."

"National Parks Adventure 3D" is a MacGillivray Freeman film produced in association with Brand USA and presented globally by Expedia Inc. and Subaru of America Inc. with major support from the Giant Dome Theater Consortium. This film is presented locally by Morning Pointe Senior Living.

This film is family friendly and has a run time of 43 minutes. Purchase individual tickets online or purchase the new Tennessee Aquarium IMAX Club Pass to see unlimited 45-minute films for one year and enjoy additional passholder benefits.